In the 1920s, magician Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth) enjoys widespread acclaim as Chinese conjurer Wei Ling Soo, his stage persona. As arrogant as he is talented, Stanley despises claims by phony spiritualists that they can perform real magic. At the behest of his friend, Stanley travels to the Côte d'Azur mansion of the Catledge family to expose a young medium named Sophie (Emma Stone). However, Stanley is left surprised and shaken by evidence that Sophie's gifts may be real.